More than 1,000 Canadians tell CRTC to stop big media

For Immediate Release:
July 16, 2007
Canadians For Democratic Media

VANCOUVER. In the space of three weeks, more than 1,000 Canadians have written the CRTC asking for policies to limit concentrated and cross-ownership in the media. They are unhappy with the lack of choice in their communities and are calling for measures to increase media diversity.

“Our campaign to stop the big media takeover is striking a chord with Canadians from coast to coast,” says Steve Anderson, co-ordinator of Canadians for Democratic Media. “It’s clear that there’s a lot of dissatisfaction, especially about news coverage. The situation in Vancouver-Victoria, where CanWest Global owns three daily newspapers and two TV stations, is a particular source of anger.

“When you have fewer and fewer companies owning more and more outlets, quality and diversity of content tend to go down.” Canadians for Democratic Media launched its online campaign on June 27 to spark participation by regular Canadians in the CRTC policy hearing.

“Too often in these proceedings, policy-makers only hear from people and companies with a vested interest in the media industry,” Anderson says. “This time, they’re also hearing, in droves, from Canadians with a democratic interest in the media industry. We hope the CRTC will get the message that there is appetite for a shift in direction for Canada’s media policy, where rules for broadasters are being abandoned and unprecedented consolidation appears welcome.”

Canadians have until July 18 to submit a comment. The CRTC will hold a public hearing on the issue in September.

To find out more and to ask the CRTC to Stop the Big Media Takeover, visit www.democraticmedia.ca.

Canadians for Democratic Media is a broad-based network of consumer, labour, media reform and citizen groups from across Canada.

Contact:
Steve Anderson
Co-ordinator, Canadians for Democratic Media
[email protected]
604-837-5730